The whole industry is talking about battery diagnostics. Isn't it a little too early for that?
It depends on how a business wants to position itself in the future. We currently hear that most repair stores only see e-cars when changing tires. But the market for used e-cars and plug-in hybrids is growing and will continue to grow in the future, according to the registration figures. And this also means that the independent repair market will be required to provide its customers with reliable information about the condition of the high-voltage battery.
Because in future, the battery will determine the value of a vehicle in the same way as the mileage of a combustion engine: the healthier the battery, the higher the vehicle value.
That's a good argument for the vehicle trade. But for a car workshop?
Also. After all, in future it will also be a question of replacing a battery in an electric vehicle and carrying out repairs. According to insurer Allianz, an HV battery costs between 13,000 and around 46,000 euros - making it the most expensive component of the electric drive. And significantly more expensive than a replacement engine for a combustion engine, for example.
Customers will therefore need a clear statement about the state of their vehicle's HV battery in future. And that requires equipment.
With our BatteryPRO diagnostic and service solutions, we enable independent workshops to carry out battery diagnostics on electric vehicles and thus support them in securing additional business volume beyond the combustion engine.
What has a negative effect on battery performance and service life? And can this be diagnosed?
For example, too frequent fast charging, long downtimes, high ambient temperatures, a charge level that is too low and failure to adhere to the charging recommendation of between 10 and 80 percent have a negative effect. These negative influences on the battery can quickly lead to an increased loss of capacity and thus to an increased loss in value of the vehicle. With our battery diagnostics solution, we will create more transparency regarding battery quality and vehicle value for workshops, testing companies, fleet operators and also owners.
What will MAHLE's battery diagnostics solution do and when will it be launched on the market?
Our E-HEALTH Charge diagnostic solution provides reliable information on the health and performance of the high-voltage battery within just 15 minutes - based on its available residual capacity. The diagnosis is carried out using a VCI dongle, the E-CHARGE 20 battery charger and the E-HEALTH app. A clear advantage is that the vehicle does not have to be moved during the diagnosis and the device can of course also be used as a pure DC charger.
We started the pilot phase with selected partners, such as TÜV NORD, at the beginning of 2022. This enabled us to gather feedback from the workshop environment at an early stage and use it to make continuous improvements. E-HEALTH Charge can now be ordered and will be delivered from April.
How is the data evaluated?
We combine two data sources, the charger and the OBD interface. The data flows into a secure cloud of the battery specialist volytica diagnostics and is analyzed there.
The data is then classified in relation to batteries of the same type that have already been recorded and compared with the original capacity of the vehicle model. This provides an indication of the battery's performance and state of health.
When you talk about an OBD interface, do you need more than a charger and software?
Yes, if you want to use our solution in your company, you need a personal end device, the MAHLE VCI and a license for our TechPRO® diagnostics tool.
And what about financing models?
We also have these in our luggage. There will be two financing models for the hardware and software: Direct purchase or leasing. In both cases, the respective battery reports must be paid for separately via Coins cards, which can be purchased from wholesalers. So everything is as flexible as possible.